Repeat the Beat
by AeroQC
Summary: Nick's new career as a cop is less than stellar, the day's seemingly blending together in a monotonous semblance of the same. Until one morning he finds that not only does the day feel the same as yesterday, but it IS yesterday. Rated M for mild cursing, and suggestive subject matter. Read at your discretion.
1. Chapter 01

**Repeat the Beat  
** **Chapter 01** **  
**

 **5:00 AM  
** _…Wake me up before you go-go  
'Cause I'm not plannin' on going solo  
Wake me up before you go-go  
Take me dancing tonight…_ **  
**"Ah! What an upbeat song to start the day. Hello all you early risers! This is Phil Sowerby with today's forecast. We're looking at a pretty gloomy morning here, slightly overcast, but we'll be getting clear skies and high seventies by this afternoon. This has been Phil Sowerby with your early morning forecast."  
Nick was stirred from his sleep by the sound of his radio alarm-clock. If there was one thing he hated about his job, it was that his partner insisted on the early wake-up before work. Regardless of her insistence though, the fox turned off his alarm and crept back under the covers of his bed.

 **6:32 AM  
** The sound of knocking at his door drove him awake.  
"Nick! Are you still sleeping?" He heard Judy call from out in the hall.  
The fox pulled himself up and towards the incessant noise that the bunny was making.  
"Nick!" She called again just as he unlocked the door.  
"Will you quit it Carrots?" He asked as he let her in. "You'll wake up the neighbours if you keep that up."  
"Well I wouldn't have to if you got up yourself," she told him. "Didn't you set your alarm?"  
"I did, and I heard it."  
"But judging by the way you're dressed, you only just got out of bed," she smirked.  
"What I wear in my apartment is my choice," the boxer-clad fox replied as he returned to his room.  
"I'll be waiting in the kitchen, Slick," Judy grinned.

 **7:18 AM  
** "Here you go," the barista said as he offered the two their order. "One Carrot-crème Latte, one Americano, and two honey-glazed donuts."  
"How is it that you can drink that, Nick?" Judy asked as she took a bite of her donut.  
"I'm naturally nocturnal, Carrots," he replied as he took a sip. "I need all the caffeine I can get to do this job during the day."  
"Huh, I guess I never thought about it that way," she admitted. "But how do you stand the taste?"  
"I don't drink it because it tastes good. And really, you're asking me after ordering a coffee that is hardly coffee anymore?"  
"Unlike you, I don't need the extra energy. I order this because I like it."  
The bunny emphasized her point by taking a sip and letting out a sigh of satisfaction.  
"Well if you're done making out with your "coffee" we're gonna be late for the subway," Nick joked, meriting a playful punch from his partner.

 **7:30 AM  
** The duo entered the car just in time, squeezing among the larger mammals that were already riding.  
"Looks like we're standing again," Nick commented as he reached up for a pawhold.  
Judy grumbled next to him, she was too short to reach up and had to resort to gripping the fox's arm. Nick didn't mind the contact, but he could tell that she felt a bit embarrassed by the gesture.

 **7:54 AM  
** Nick walked into the male's locker room and was immediately tackled by a half-naked Fangmeyer.  
"Ha! Gotcha Wilde!" The white wolf laughed as he unpinned the fox.  
"Yep, you got me," he smiled as he straightened his shirt.  
"So, what do you think the chief has for us today?" Fangmeyer asked as he went back to dressing himself.  
"Probably the same old stuff as usual," Nick replied as he opened up his locker and started putting his own uniform on. "Just as long as I don't get Parking Duty, I'm fine with anything."  
"How can you be so sure that you wouldn't enjoy it?" The white wolf teased. "You've never even been assigned it since your first day."  
"I know, but I've heard enough complaints from Carrots that have me thinking otherwise."  
"Pfft. She's a female. Females complain about everything," Fangmeyer waved off.  
"Oh sure, but they make better company than any male could," Nick smirked.  
"Well if you think that, they why don't you go join them in their locker room?" The white wolf dared.  
"Ha! That'd be suicide," the fox laughed. "If Francine caught me in there, I'm sure I'd be a pancake, at best."  
The two friends laughed it off as they finished getting ready for roll call.

 **8:34 AM  
** Nick sat in his usual spot, Judy impatiently sitting right next to him. Bogo had called out the squads for the day and, as usual, had left their designation for last.  
"Hopps. Wilde," the buffalo called as the last of the force left the room. "You'll be patrolling the lower-west side of Sahara Square and then the lower-east side of Savanna Central this afternoon."  
"Any reason for the shift in patrol area, sir?" Judy asked.  
"Just do your job, Hopps," Bogo grumbled. "And while you're at it, keep an eye on Wilde."  
"I'm hurt, chief," the fox said in mock pain.  
"Now get going."  
The two got on their feet and walked out of the bull-pen.

 **9:02 AM  
** "Ugh, this weather is horrible," Nick commented as he rested his chin on the dashboard.  
Outside, the dunes of Sahara Square were dully coloured from the lack of sun. As another drawback, the district was slightly chillier than normal, resulting in Judy shivering slightly in her seat behind the wheel.  
"You know, you can raise the AC if you want," Nick commented without moving from his spot.  
"Nick, I can handle a little cold," she protested. "And if I raise it, won't you be uncomfortable?"  
"I can handle the heat, Carrots, I practically have my own climate with all this fur," he stated while straightening up and looking to his partner. "You, on the other paw, have pretty short fur, not to mention that your uniform is a little lacking in insulation, am I right?"  
Judy's ears flushed a little pink at the comment.  
"Maybe I'll raise it just a little," the bunny shyly said as she adjusted the AC.

 **11:27 AM**  
"Nick, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Judy asked as she perched herself on top of the steering wheel.  
The fox followed her gaze and found a couple of mammals in ski masks running out of a gas station just a dozen yards away.  
"Looks like a disturbance to me," Nick smirked as he donned his aviators. "Should we give them a head start? Or have them panic?"  
"I vote panic," the bunny replied with a grin as she buckled up.  
Nick switched on the sirens and chuckled as the two robbers jumped in shock before diving into a waiting car.

 **11:36 AM  
** "PULL OVER, NOW!" Nick's voice roared through the megaphone as they continued to chase the robbers.  
The chase had proved to be a lot more troublesome than it was worth. They had led them through the cramped alleys of lower Slot Street before finally heading off onto the more open Big Dune Boulevard.  
"Carrots! Can't you get us any closer!? Maybe attempt a PIT maneuver!?" Nick exclaimed in frustration.  
"Not with all these civilians around, Nick!" Judy protested.  
"Ugh! Fine! I'm calling backup, then," The fox said in defeat. "Hopefully, McHorn can set up a blockade before we reach his patrol area."  
"Do it. I'll keep sticking to them."  
Nick picked up the car transceiver and called up dispatch.  
"Clawhauser! This is Wilde. Hopps and I are 10-80. Target is uncooperative. Requesting a 10-93."  
"Officer Wilde, this is Dispatch," Clawhauser's voice chirped through the radio. "What's your 10-20?"  
"Big Dune, heading east, just passing Aloe," Nick informed the cheetah.  
"10-4."  
"And now we wait," Judy quipped as she held the steering firm.  
At that moment, Nick noticed one of the robbers leaning out the window.  
"What the-"  
Gunshots fired and a loud pop was heard. The cruiser lurched to the left just as Nick instinctively reached for the steering wheel and pulled it to the right. Judy hit the brakes not too soon afterwards.  
"FUCK!" The bunny cursed as she hit the wheel with her fists.  
"Hopps and Wilde! This is dispatch. We got that 10-93," Clawhauser's voice chirped again.  
"Clawhauser, we're 10-7. Flat tire. Target is 10-32."  
"10-4. I'll have another squad take over," Clawhauser replied. "Better luck next time, you guys."  
Judy let her head fall on the steering, causing the horn to beep and scare a couple of passersby.  
"I'll get the jack and spare," Nick declared as he proceeded to get out.

 **11:52 AM**  
"And there we go!" Nick exclaimed in exhaustion as he sank into his seat. "How's the chase going?"  
Judy had been keeping contact with Clawhauser in regards to the escaped robbers; McHorn's team had taken the reins and had chased the thieves the length of Sahara Square.  
"Still no word," the bunny simply said.  
"Hey Judy, you still there?" Clawhauser's voice chirped from the radio.  
"Still here, although Nick finished fixing the tire."  
"Well McHorn finally caught them, so you can relax now."  
"Thanks Ben," Judy replied with a smile.  
"No problem. Good luck on the rest of your shift."  
Judy sank back into her own seat, sighing in relief of the tension.  
"Lunch break?" Nick offered.  
"Lunch break."

 **12:31 PM  
** Nick sat down in the booth with a sour look on his face.  
"How difficult is it to remove onions?" He asked to no one as he unwrapped his cicada burger.  
"I'm guessing: not that difficult?" Judy hazarded as she finished up her salad.  
"NOT AT ALL!" The fox exploded, meriting a few looks from other mammals. "It's nothing much, just a simple gesture, and yet it took them THREE tries to get it right!"  
The bunny patiently sipped at her drink as her partner continued to rant.  
"I would understand forgetting the first time. Heck, I would probably let it slip on the second. But THREE!? You've got to be kidding me! It's like they have the memory of a goldfish!"  
Judy took the time to but in as Nick was drawing breath for another set of rants.  
"You know. If you keep on yapping, your burger will get cold before you even start."  
Nick stopped in his tracks.  
"Sly bunny."  
"Dumb fox."

 **1:13 PM  
** Nick turned the corner as he exited the coffee shop, a fresh cup of coffee in each paw for him and his partner. Judy had parked the cruiser just down the street, right in the shadow of the buildings so that it would get too hot with the rising temperature.  
As Nick came closer to the vehicle however, he noticed that some small mammals were crowded around the passenger side of the vehicle; a couple of wolves, a lion and a weasel. He figured it to be a bit odd, and slowed his pace so that they wouldn't notice him. The fox deduced that the mammals were just teenagers hanging out, judging from the flashy clothing they were wearing. He could hear snickers coming from their direction and wondered what it was that was so funny. Nick found his answer as the teenagers backed away from the cruiser, revealing that they had spray-painted on the side. Were once it had been a sheer white background with ZPD emblazoned in black, there was now a blood red E in front of it, along with the P being blotted out and then added back at the end.  
"HEY!" Nick shouted as he dropped the coffees and ran for the teenagers.  
"RUN!" One of the wolves exclaimed before bolting, prompting his group to scatter.  
The fox stood next to the defaced cruiser, fuming. How did Judy not notice them? He peered into the vehicle to find Judy alertly looking up and down the street while perched on the wheel. He rapped on the window, causing the bunny to jump and almost fall into her seat. She waved to him as he beckoned her outside without a word.  
"Hey Nick," she greeted as she rounded the cruiser. "Where's our coffee?"  
"Not why I called you out here, Carrots," the fox stated before stepping aside.  
Judy's eyes widened at the sight of the red spray-paint.  
"Wha- How?" She asked.  
"I caught a bunch of teenagers doing this on my way back," Nick told her. "Unfortunately, they all ran off before I could grab them."  
"We can't go riding around with that!" The bunny exclaimed, frantic.  
"What I want to know is how come you didn't even notice them!" Nick scolded. "They were even laughing about the whole thing!"  
"I-uh… I was… Uh…" Judy tried to explain with no success.  
Nick sighed and held his face in his paw.  
"Just find a way to get this off," he told her before rounding the vehicle and sitting in the driver's seat.

 **1:47 PM  
** Judy sat down in the passenger seat and gave out a heavy sigh. She had just spent the past half-hour or so wiping the cruiser clean of the offensive spray-paint.  
"Well?" Nick asked.  
"As if it never even happened," Judy replied.  
"Except it did."  
"They were in my blind spot!"  
"You could have easily heard them!"  
"I was trying to listen to other stuff!"  
"Like what!? How the doe across the street got dumped by her boyfriend? How the giraffe is complaining about the height of the overpass? How the elephant is complaining about the portion of his meal being too small?"  
"I don't eavesdrop on other mammals, Nick!" The bunny defended. "I was trying to listen to anything that might be suspicious."  
"And the tell-tale sound of a spray-can isn't suspicious!?" Her partner retorted.  
"I told you, they were in my blind spot!"  
"You know what!? Forget it! This is going nowhere!"  
"Consider it forgotten!"

 **2:46 PM  
** Nick walked up to the red sports car just as its driver was pulling down the window.  
"Okay, Flash, what's the excuse this time?" He sighed as he looked at the sloth.  
"Well… Nick… I was… Just… Coming… Back… From… My… Lunch… Break… And… Noticed… That I… Took… Too… Long… To eat," Flash slowly admitted.  
"Okay, I can understand not wanting to be late, but you do understand that you were going twenty over the speed limit, right?" Nick told his friend.  
"I… Was… Hoping… To not… Be… Caught… Again," the sloth moped.  
"Well, I'm giving you one final warning," Nick said as he pulled out his pad and started writing a ticket, knocking off five of Flash's twenty exceeding miles per hour. "Just count yourself lucky that it was me and Carrots that caught you. Anyone else would've impounded your car by now."  
Nick held out the written ticket for the sloth to take, an action that seemed to take forever for the fox. And as soon as the slip was firmly in Flash's grasp, the fox went back to his seat in the cruiser with Judy.  
"So… How many does that make now?" He asked the bunny.  
"That's three this past month," she announced as she set the vehicle in motion.  
"Remind me to have his car impounded, the next time," Nick requested. "I can't keep letting him off the hook forever."  
"Will do."

 **4:52 PM  
** "… And then he walks up to the weasel and slugs him! And I'm not talking about a love-tap or anything, the guy literally rag-dolled from the punch!"  
"Oh my god!" Judy laughed as she imagined the scene that Nick shared. "Was he okay after that?"  
"Finnick? He was fine. Had his paw in a cast for about a week, though," the fox shared.  
"I meant Weaselton."  
"Oh him," Nick chuckled as he raised a couple of fingers. "Two weeks in the hospital, broken jaw. Had to eat through a straw."  
Judy tried her best to cover her smile; the weasel had had it coming for him, according to Nick's story. Their banter was cut short by a call on the radio:  
"This is Officer Trunkaby calling for assistance from all available squads. We have an emergency situation on Pack and Troop."  
Nick looked at his partner with raised eyebrows.  
"Emergency situation?" He asked.  
"What could be on Pack and Troop?" Judy asked herself.  
"A bank, that's what," Nick replied as he recalled the layout.  
"Okay, then let's go," the bunny quipped as she began to fasten herself in.  
"Hold on, Carrots, that's on the other side of the district!"  
"So?"  
"So no matter how fast you drive this thing, chances are it'll be all over by the time we get there," the fox reasoned. "And how would you explain that in a report? That we were late for an emergency situation."  
Judy grumbled and slumped back into her seat.  
"Fine."  
"Look, if we were any closer beforehand, then I would've been all for it," Nick admitted.  
"Except we're not," she pouted.

 **5:03 PM  
** "This is Officer Trunkaby, calling all units. Situation has been resolved, no longer requesting assistance."  
"And time!" Nick joked as he glanced at his phone.  
His partner merely grumbled at his attempt to cheer her up.  
"Cheer up, Carrots, we couldn't have planned it," the fox assured her.

 **5:35 PM  
** Their patrol shift over, Judy had set a course for the precinct.  
"Well today was pretty eventful," she sighed, still feeling down for not joining in the emergency.  
"I'll say. What was your favourite part? Mine was changing the wheel after our mishap," Nick joked.  
"Then I guess mine would have to be cleaning up the paint," the bunny chuckled as she joined the humor. "That was a doozy."  
"Yep, but I think I wouldn't mind NOT having another day like this," the fox smirked.  
"You and me both," Judy said as she parked the cruiser in the precinct lot.

 **5:51 PM  
** "I'm done with mine. How 'bout you, Carrots?" Nick asked as he pushed away from his desk towards Judy's.  
"Not even close," she admitted.  
From what Nick could see, she was still reporting on the failed chase from that morning.  
"Carrots, you don't have to write every little detail. We chased them all the way past Salt Street before they shot our tire out, end of story."  
"That wasn't all that happened!" Judy glared at him.  
"I know that, I'm just saying that you tend to get a little… Obsessive with the little things," Nick tried to convey. "Let me see that."  
Before the bunny could as much as give an answer, he had pushed her away from the computer to look at the detailed report that she had written.  
"At exactly 11:27 AM, a pig and a porcupine wearing black ski masks robbed a gas station before taking off in a midnight blue sedan that was waiting for them, driven by an unknown third party," the fox recited. "Hmm, seems similar to what I wrote, except with a dozen more words in it."  
"Well excuse me for being wordy," his partner fumed.  
Nick skipped ahead to the point of the blow-out.  
"As Officer Wilde finished calling for backup, the porcupine leaned out the window and fired its weapon at our vehicle, hitting our driver-side tire. The vehicle naturally steered to the left against my wishes and we were heading for a nearby palm tree. Officer Wilde intervened at the last moment and jerked the steering back towards the street before I brought the vehicle to a full stop."  
That was the end of the report. Judy hadn't finished when Nick slipped by, but he was amazed by everything that she recalled; he hadn't even seen the tree, he just didn't want the cruiser to fall into incoming traffic.  
"Just don't forget your unsavoury language afterwards," the fox smirked, causing the bunny to push him back to his own desk.

 **6:02 PM  
** Nick walked into the male's locker room, exhausted from the day's events. He could have changed as soon as he was done, but he didn't want Judy to feel alone in their cubicle while doing her report. He was still thinking about the grey doe when Fangmeyer jumped him in surprise, causing the fox's fur to bristle.  
"So! I heard you guys got the slip this morning!" The white wolf said as he went to his own locker.  
"Yeah, but they still got caught," Nick relayed as he stripped his uniform and headed for the showers. "What about you, Harry? Anything crazy happen on your end?"  
"I think I'm in love!" Fangmeyer dropped as he followed Nick.  
Nick gave him a look of confusion.  
"With who?"  
"The new girl! Chelsea!" He explained, ecstatic.  
Nick mulled through his memories of a new cop being introduced that morning.  
"You mean the spotted hyena?" He asked in disbelief, not knowing that the imposing female was Fangmeyer's type.  
"She's amazing! I'm so glad that I got paired with her today!" The wolf continued. "Sure, she's a bit rough around the edges, but that's what I love about her!"  
"Well, Romeo, why don't you ask her out, then," Nick smirked.  
"You know what? I think I will!"

 **6:13 AM  
** Nick watched as the hyena walked away from Fangmeyer with a smile on her face. The wolf, however, was slumped over where he stood.  
"So, Romeo, how'd it go?" Nick asked him.  
"She said that she wasn't sure," Fangmeyer admitted.  
"And in female terms, that's a 'No'," the fox finished.  
"I guess I'll just go now," the white wolf said as he made for the door. "Seeya tomorrow, Nick."  
He waved off the forlorn wolf before noticing Judy standing next to him.  
"Did something happen?" She asked.  
"Harry's head-over heels for Chelsea, but she shot him down when he asked for a date," Nick told her.  
"Oh…"  
Judy's ears drooped at revelation.  
"Speaking of," Nick said after clearing his throat. "Did YOU have any plans for tonight?"  
"Nick Wilde, are you asking me out on a date?" The bunny smirked.  
"Who, me? No. I was just wondering if you were free to join me for dinner," he reflected her smirk back.  
She held the exchange in silence for a moment before letting out a sigh.  
"Sorry, Nick, but I'm not feeling up to it today," Judy sadly admitted as she started to leave. "I'll see you tomorrow."  
Nick's ears flattened in disappointment.  
"Yeah… Sure…" He quietly replied as he followed her out the door.  
As he stepped outside of the lobby, the fox caught the sight of Fangmeyer mopily walking away, a sadder reflection of his own feelings. Nick immediately decided to rectify this and caught up with the white wolf.  
"Harry! Hey! You doing anything tonight?" He cheerily asked.  
Fangmeyer shrugged as he continued staring at the sidewalk.  
"Was thinking of heading home, maybe digging out that tub of ice cream I was saving and binging out on Game of Bones…"  
"How 'bout this, I'll call up a friend and we can all go have drinks together, forget about this whole day," Nick offered.  
Fangmeyer looked up at him, a sad look still in his eyes.  
"Come on, Harry, nobody likes a lone wolf."  
The wolf chuckled at the joke, which Nick took as a yes. He pulled out his phone and dialed a contact.  
"Hey Big Guy! You up for some drinks? I'll see you at the usual place."  
Nick hung up before he got a response.  
"Don't worry, he'll be there," the fox assured his friend. "He's always up for a few beers."

 **6:46 PM  
** "Alright, who's this sad excuse for a rug?" Finnick jeered as he saw Nick and Fangmeyer.  
The fennec was leaning against his van, already parked in front of their meeting place.  
"Finnick, Harry. Harry, Finnick," Nick introduced them. "Harry works with me at the precinct, so he'd more than likely be able to make a rug out of you, Big Guy. And Finnick used to be my business partner before I joined the ZPD."  
"You sure you're old enough to drink, little guy," Fangmeyer teased as he shook the fennec's paw.  
"I'm old enough to kick your ass," he growled, strengthening his grip.  
The wolf stared without flinching before laughing it off.  
"You have a good taste in friends, Nick," he said as he walked off into the bar.  
"So why'd you bring him?" Finnick asked as soon as the wolf was inside.  
"He got shot down," the fox simply replied.  
"Ouch. What about you?"  
"Bad day in general, I could do with forgetting it."  
"Whatever floats your boat," Finnick said as he followed the wolf.  
Nick stared up at the building, the sign telling passersby that this was the location of the 'Tooth & Nail Bar'. It had been a pretty bad day, but it still wasn't his worst. The fox stepped inside to find his two friends alright chugging down a couple of beers, one mug already waiting for him.

 **10:59 PM  
** Nick stumbled into his apartment, still sloshed by all the alcohol that he had consumed. No matter how many times he went drinking with Finnick, it always amazed him how he was able to hold his liquor despite being half his size and drinking twice as much. Fangmeyer had also been in a happier mood the entire time, from what Nick could recall anyway.  
The fox stripped down to his boxers as he made his way to his room, before crashing onto his bed. Nick quickly fell asleep due to a combination of alcohol and exhaustion.


	2. Chapter 02

**Repeat the Beat  
** **Chapter 02**

 **5:00 AM  
** _…Wake me up before you go-go  
'Cause I'm not plannin' on going solo  
Wake me up before you go-go  
Take me dancing tonight…_ **  
**"Ah! What an upbeat song to start the day. Hello all you early risers! This is Phil Sowerby with today's forecast. We're looking at a pretty gloomy morning here, slightly overcast, but we'll be getting clear skies and high seventies by this afternoon. This has been Phil Sowerby with your early morning forecast."  
Nick turned off his radio alarm-clock, surprised that he was able to get up at all. He had half-expected to have a hangover in light of the previous night's alcohol, but the fox had awaken with a clear head. Despite this, Nick decided to fall back asleep, curling under his covers once more.

 **6:32 AM  
** The sound of knocking at his door had Nick jumping awake.  
"Nick! Are you still sleeping?" He heard Judy call from out in the hall.  
The fox pulled himself out of bed and off towards the incessant noise that the bunny was making.  
"Nick!" Judy called again just as he unlocked the door.  
"Carrots, what do you think you're doing?" He asked as he let her in.  
"I'm here to make sure you got up," she told him. "Didn't you set your alarm?"  
"Yes I did," he sighed, remembering that they went through this just yesterday. "And I heard it, again."  
"Okay… But judging by the way you're dressed, you only just got out of bed," she smirked.  
"If I only want to wear underwear in my own home, then you can't stop me," Nick said as he returned to his room.  
"I'll be waiting in the kitchen, Slick," Judy grinned.

 **7:18 AM**  
"Here you go," the barista said as he offered the two their order. "One Carrot-crème Latte, on Americano, and two honey-glazed donuts."  
"How is it that you can drink that, Nick?" Judy asked as she took a bite of her donut.  
Nick paused.  
"Are you teasing me, Carrots? I told you yesterday," he said before he took a sip of his coffee.  
"What're you talking about?" The bunny asked as she cocked her head. "We didn't even stop for coffee yesterday."  
"Yes we did," the fox argued. "And you asked the same question, which I already answered."  
"Well then humor me if I forgot because I'm a dumb bunny," she growled.  
Nick sighed in defeat. He already had a bad day yesterday; he didn't feel like starting on the wrong foot THIS early.  
"Well in case you forgot, I'm naturally nocturnal," he said as he continued to sip his coffee. "So I need all the caffeine I can get for the day shifts."  
"I guess that makes sense," Judy replied as she sipped her own coffee.

 **7:54 AM  
** Nick walked into the male's locker room and was immediately tackled by a half-naked Fangmeyer.  
"Ha! Gotcha Wilde!" The white wolf laughed as he unpinned the fox.  
"Looks like someone's in a better mood," he chuckled as he straightened his shirt.  
"I'm sorry?" Fangmeyer asked with a cocked brow.  
Nick waved off the comment, figuring that he had finally forgotten about Chelsea.  
"So, what do you think the chief has for us today?" The wolf asked as he went back to dressing himself.  
"Probably the same old stuff," Nick said automatically.

 **8:31 AM  
** "Alright everyone, settle down," Bogo said as he posted himself at the podium. "Before we get onto today's agenda, we have a new member, Chelsea Cocuta. She just transferred from precinct 5 on Outback Island, so I hope you'll give her the respect she deserves."  
Nick took this in with a tad bit of confusion; hadn't she transferred yesterday?  
"Fangmeyer! You'll partner up with Cocuta, get her used to the area."  
"Yessir!" The wolf replied with a straight face.  
Nick had a feeling that something weird was going on.

 **9:03 AM  
** "I'm telling you, Carrots, there's something weird about all of this!" Nick ranted from his seat in the cruiser. "This is the exact same patrol job as yesterday!"  
"What are you talking about Nick?" Judy said with a slight shiver.  
"We did all this yesterday," Nick said as he cranked up the AC for her. "And don't go saying that I can't handle the heat, you need it more than I do."  
Judy stared at him with wide eyes; she hadn't said a word about the temperature.

 **11:27 AM  
** "Nick, are you seeing what I'm seeing?" Judy asked as she perched herself on top of the steering wheel.  
The fox look in the same direction as her and found a familiar sight: a couple of mammals in ski masks running out of a gas station.  
"Not this again," he muttered to himself.  
"Hit the lights," the bunny said as she buckled herself up.

 **11:36 AM  
** "Carrots! If we don't stop them now, they'll get away!" Nick exclaimed.  
"They haven't shaken us just yet!" Judy replied; eyes glued on the vehicle they were pursuing.  
"I'm calling for backup."  
"Fine."  
Nick picked up the transceiver and called up dispatch.  
"Clawhauser! This is Wilde. Hopps and I are 10-80. Target is uncooperative. Requesting a 10-93," the fox said, keeping the tone professional.  
"What's your 10-20?"  
"Big Dune, heading east, just passing Aloe."  
"10-4."  
"And now we wait," Judy quipped.  
And just as before, Nick spotted one of the robbers leaning out the window.  
"Shit."  
Gunshots fired and a loud pop was heard, the cruiser lurching to the left. Nick then thought of the tree, and reached for the steering. Judy hit the brakes as soon as they were back on the road.  
"FUCK!" The bunny cursed as she hit the wheel with her fists.  
"Hopps and Wilde! This is dispatch. We got that 10-93," Clawhauser's voice chirped again.  
"Clawhauser, we're 10-7. Flat tire. Target is 10-32."  
"10-4. I'll have another squad take over," Clawhauser replied. "Better luck next time, you guys."  
Judy let her head fall on the steering, causing the horn to beep and scare a couple of passersby.  
Nick gave out a heavy sigh before getting out of the cruiser to change the tire.

 **12:36 PM  
** "Alright Nick, what's going on?"  
Judy had noticed that her friend was in a particularly bad mood since the abrupt end of their chase. And that had compounded with the fact that he had to re-order his burger three times because they didn't remove the onions.  
"It's this stupid day," Nick firmly said as he sipped his drink, his burger finished a while ago. "I feel like I'm reliving the same day as yesterday."  
"But this is a completely different day from yesterday," she noted in confusion.  
"No it isn't!" Nick flared. "You asked the same question at the coffee shop, we got assigned the same patrol route, we even got our cruiser shot out of the same chase in the same way!"  
"Really now," the bunny said in moot disbelief.  
"I'm absolutely positive."  
"Look, Nick, maybe this job is getting a little harsh on you," she tried comforting him. "I can understand some days seemingly blurring together, but that generally on happens when you're assigned repetitive tasks, and this day couldn't be any more different to any other."  
Nick rubbed his temples. Maybe the job WAS getting to him.

 **1:13 PM  
** Or maybe it wasn't.  
Just like yesterday, Nick found a group of teenagers huddled around the passenger side of the cruiser. It was the same group as before: a couple of wolves, a lion, and a weasel. And they were spray-painting the side of the vehicle with the same red paint as before.  
Nick walked up in as calm a fashion as he could, but he was noticed by the weasel before he could get close enough to grab any of them.  
"RUN!" One of the wolves exclaimed before bolting, his group following the same idea.  
The fox gave out a sigh and walked over to Judy's side of the cruiser. The bunny rolled down her window and he offered her her coffee before walking off towards a general store.  
"Nick! Where are you going!?" She asked as he kept his pace.  
"Take a look at the side of the cruiser and you'll see," he told her before walking in the store.

 **1:21 PM  
** "I'm so sorry, Nick. I should've paid more attention," Judy apologized as Nick came back with a pail of soapy water, courtesy of the general store.  
"Let's just get this off," Nick gloomily said as he pulled out two sponges and tossed one to her.

 **2:45 PM  
** "So do you want to take this, or should I this time?" Nick asked Judy as they stopped behind the red sports car.  
"He's your friend, Nick, I think you should tell him," the bunny reasoned.  
"Of course," he sighed.

 **4:53 PM  
** "This is Officer Trunkaby calling for assistance from all available squads. We have an emergency situation on Pack and Troop."  
Judy looked at her partner with wide eyes.  
"An emergency situation…" Nick repeated.  
"What could be on Pack and Troop?" The bunny asked herself.  
"It's a bank," he replied. "And before you say anything, we are NOT going. We won't get there in time."  
"And how do you know that!?" Judy argued.  
"Because it's on the other side of the district, Carrots," he sighed.  
The bunny simply pouted in her seat.

 **5:50 PM  
** "And that's mine done," Nick declared as he rolled over to Judy's desk. "Are you any closer to finishing?"  
"Not even close," She admitted.  
According to what she had written so far, Nick found that she was still reporting on the failed chase. A quick reading over her shoulder had him finding that she was further behind than yesterday, having not yet written about the crash that almost happened.  
"Just don't forget about your language after I saved us from that tree," he said as he rolled back to his end of the cubicle.

 **6:02 PM**  
Nick walked into the male's locker room, exhausted from the weird day. As he was trying to figure out what was happening, Fangmeyer jumped him in surprise. Once again, the fox's fur bristled in the brief moment.  
"So! I heard you guys got the slip this morning!" The white wolf said as he went to his own locker.  
"Yeah, but at least the still got caught," Nick sighed as he stripped his uniform and headed for the showers. "What about you Harry? Anything new happen for you?"  
"I think I'm in love!" Fangmeyer dropped as he followed Nick.  
"With who, Chelsea?" Nick guessed.  
"Wow, on the nose today, Slick!" The wolf smiled.  
"I don't think she'll want to go out with you, Harry," the fox warned.  
"Pfft, there's no way that you could know that," Fangmeyer stated.  
"You wanna bet?"  
"You're on!"

 **6:13 PM  
** "You were right," Fangmeyer woefully admitted as he watched Chelsea walk out of the lobby.  
"Hey, it happens to the best of us," Nick assured him.  
"Sure. Seeya tomorrow, Nick."  
He watched as the wolf walked out before looking over to find Judy standing next to him.  
"Did something happen?" She asked.  
"Harry tried to ask Chelsea out, and she gave him a 'No'," the fox simply replied.  
"Oh…"  
The bunny's ears drooped at the information.  
"Say, uh… You wouldn't happen to be busy tonight would you?" Nick asked hesitantly.  
"Nick Wilde, are you asking me out on a date?" Judy smirked.  
"As a matter of fact, yes," he confidently replied.  
Judy's ears flushed a slight pink at the assertive answer.  
"Well, uh… Sorry, but I don't think that I'm up for a date tonight, maybe some other time?" She told him apologetically.  
The fox sighed, his ears flattening in disappointment.  
"It's fine, it's been a pretty bad day anyway," he admitted before heading out. "See you tomorrow, Carrots."  
As he stepped out, he spotted Fangmeyer walking on the sidewalk with his head hanging.

 **7:46 PM  
** Nick stared at his empty mug as his two friends finished up their drinks.  
"Do you guys ever get a sense of Déjà-vu?" He asked out loud.  
"Dayja-who?" Fangmeyer asked, slightly tipsy from the amount of alcohol that he had guzzled.  
"Déjà-vu," Nick repeated. "It's a French term meaning 'already seen'."  
"Okay. What about it?" Finnick questioned as he ordered another drink.  
"I feel like I've been living the same day for the second time."  
"Wow, I would hate to do that," Fangmeyer said. "Getting your heart broken over and over? That would suck!"  
Nick simply rolled his eyes.  
"I think I get what you mean," Finnick answered as he started sipping his new drink. "I once woke up in my van half-naked and with a couple of vixens passed out on the mattress, and I swear, I closed my eyes for only a second, but the next thing I knew I was in some female's apartment with the same two vixens passed out next to me on the bed."  
Nick stared wide-eyed at his friend.  
"You lucky bastard," Fangmeyer quipped in near disbelief.

 **10:56 PM  
** Nick stumbled through his apartment, still tipsy from the amount of alcohol that he had drunk over the course of the night. He was only slightly aware of stripping to his boxers before falling on top of his bed.

 **5:00 AM  
** _…Wake me up before you go-go  
'Cause I'm not plannin' on going solo  
Wake me up before you go-go  
Take me dancing tonight…_ **  
**"Ah! What an upbeat song to start the day. Hello all you early risers! This is Phil Sowerby with today's forecast. We're looking at a pretty gloomy morning here, slightly overc-"  
Nick turned off the alarm before Sowerby even had a chance to finish his forecast, but Nick seemed to know full well what the ending was.  
"Clears skies and high seventies…" He muttered to himself. "What the hell is going on?"

 **6:32 AM  
** The sound of knocking had Nick rushing to his door.  
"Nick! Are you- awake?" Judy stated in surprise as her friend stepped out of his apartment already fully clothed.  
"Yes, I heard the alarm this time," he answered. "Come on, we need to talk."

 **6:48 AM  
** Nick sat down in the booth that Judy had picked.  
"Here's you order," he said as he passed her her coffee. "A Carrot-crème Latte and a honey-glazed donut."  
"How did you figure that out? You didn't even ask me," she stared at him in confusion as Nick took a big gulp of his own coffee.  
"That's what I want to talk about," he said in a serious manner.  
"What? That you're psychic now?" The bunny joked.  
"No, Carrots, this is the third time!" He exclaimed.  
"The third time what?" Judy asked in confusion.  
"This is the third time I'm living this same day!"  
She stared at her friend for a moment, expecting a punchline to be said.  
"And?"  
"You don't believe me, do you?" He sighed.  
"To be honest with you, no," the bunny said quite frankly.  
"Okay, today there will be a few noteworthy things that I'm sure you would find hard to guess UNLESS someone knew they were going to happen beforehand," Nick started ranting. "First! Today, Bogo's going to introduce a new recruit, a spotted Hyena by the name of Chelsea, and she's going to be paired up with Fangmeyer, who's going to fall in love with her by the end of the day."  
"That's pretty farfetched, Nick," Judy said as she started eating her donut.  
"Second! Bogo is going to have us patrol Sahara Square in the morning and the Savanna Central in the afternoon. While we're in Sahara Square, we'll get into a chase following a gas station robbery and end up losing the perps after they shoot out one of our tires."  
"Seriously?"  
"Dead serious," Nick replied before continuing. "Third! A bunch of punks will be tagging our cruiser while I'm gone getting coffee this afternoon."  
"I would never let that happen, Nick," the bunny argued.  
"And yet you did, TWICE," he emphasized with two raised fingers. "And fourth! Gerald will call for an emergency on Pack and Troop, which you'll want to head for. Except that WE'LL be too far away to respond to it."  
"And how do I know that you're not planning all of this in advance as an elaborate prank?" Judy stated, particularly annoyed by the whole prospect.  
"You don't," Nick simply said before taking a bite out of his donut.

 **7:15 AM  
** Nick followed Judy into the subway car, the bunny still annoyed by his ranting at the coffee shop. The fox noticed how empty the car looked and chalked it up to them catching the earlier train this time.  
Judy hastily took an open seat before the train started moving, happily sighing as she laid back. Nick took in how much better this scene was as opposed to the two previous days in which she looked embarrassed holding onto him. Maybe he could change some things.

 **7:51 AM  
** Fangmeyer walked into the male's locker room only to be immediately crashed into by Nick. The fox fell back on his tail, having unsuccessfully gotten revenge for Fangmeyer's tackles.  
"Maybe watch where you're going next time, Slick," the white wolf chuckled as he offered a paw to his friend.  
"I'll keep that in mind," Nick replied as he got up.  
"So, what do you think the chief has for us today?" Fangmeyer asked as he went to his locker and started getting out of his civilian clothing.  
Nick grinned.  
"I'm gonna take a wild guess and say a new partner for you today," he answered as he went to his own locker.  
"Ha! That's a good one!" The wolf laughed.

 **8:31 AM  
** "Alright everyone, settle down," Bogo said as he posted himself at the podium. "Before we get onto today's agenda, we have a new member, Chelsea Cocuta. She just transferred from precinct 5 on Outback Island, so I hope you'll give her the respect she deserves."  
Nick flashed a grin to his partner, who only scowled at him.  
"Fangmeyer! You'll partner up with Cocuta, get her used to the area."  
"Y-yessir!" The wolf replied with a slight hint of disbelief.  
Judy's eyes went wide as Nick's prophecy had come true. She immediately shook her head, thinking that he could have still staged it as an elaborate prank.

 **9:03 AM  
** "How did you know?" Judy asked him.  
Nick had set the AC higher than usual, to a point where she was more than comfortable.  
"I've told you, Carrots, this is my third time having this day," he repeated. "And the other two times, you set the AC low because we were heading to Sahara Square. And both of those times, you ended up shivering. I can handle a bit of heat."  
"I still don't believe you."  
"Thought not."

 **10:37 AM  
** "Clawhauser! This is Wilde. Hopps and I are 10-80. Target is uncooperative. Requesting a 10-93."  
"Officer Wilde, this is Dispatch," Clawhauser's voice chirped through the radio. "What's your 10-20?"  
"Big Dune, heading east, just passing Aloe," Nick informed the cheetah.  
"10-4."  
"And now we wait," Judy quipped.  
"Actually-"  
Gunshots fired and a loud pop was heard before the cruiser lurched to the left.  
"TREE!" Nick exclaimed as he grabbed the steering and pulled it to the right.  
Judy slammed on the brakes as soon as they were back on the road.  
"FUCK!" The bunny cursed as she hit the wheel with her fists.  
"Hopps and Wilde! This is dispatch. We got that 10-93," Clawhauser's voice chirped again.  
"Clawhauser, we're 10-7. Flat tire. Target is 10-32."  
"10-4. I'll have another squad take over," Clawhauser replied. "Better luck next time, you guys."  
"Told you," the fox quipped.  
Judy let her head fall on the steering, causing the horn to beep and scare a couple of passersby.

 **12:32 PM  
** "I don't believe it," Nick muttered from his side of the booth.  
"Believe what?" Judy asked as she was finishing up her salad.  
"That even though I changed my order they STILL got it wrong!" He exclaimed as he pointed at his cricket wrap.  
"What?"  
"The other times, I ordered a cicada burger without onions and they got it wrong," Nick explained. "So I figured THIS time I'd order something else."  
"You're still going on about that?" The bunny asked, unamused.  
"This is serious, Carrots. I can't keep repeating the same day AND have my lunch be ruined every single time," the fox argued.  
She gave out a heavy sigh.  
"What went wrong?" She regrettably asked.  
"I ordered a cricket wrap with extra cheese, but they didn't add ANY! At all!"  
"Wait, there's no cheese?" Judy asked, genuinely concerned.  
"Unless I'm blind as a bat," Nick exaggerated as he took a sip of his drink.

 **1:13 PM  
** Nick rounded the corner with two coffees to find Judy standing guard next to the cruiser. He also noticed that the side had still been painted on, but the red E was left unfinished. The fox chuckled as he imagined that his partner had taken his warning into account and actually noticed the group of teenagers this time.  
"So, did anything happen while I was gone?" He asked with a smirk as he gave Judy her coffee.  
"I don't know, maybe you can tell ME what happened," she glared.  
Nick took a sip of his coffee as he stared at the paint.  
"Someone's going to have to wash it," he noted.  
"Yes, and that someone is you," Judy pointedly replied as she went back inside the cruiser.

 **2:47 PM  
** "So that makes five…"  
"No, that's three," Judy corrected. "Where'd you get the extra two?"  
"Huh?" Nick asked in confusion.  
"We've only given Flash three tickets this month, including the one you just gave him," She explained.  
"Oh, sorry."  
Judy just shook her head as she pulled back into traffic.

 **4:53 PM  
** "This is Officer Trunkaby calling for assistance from all available squads. We have an emergency situation on Pack and Troop."  
Nick looked at his partner with raised eyebrows.  
"Emergency situation," he reminded her.  
Judy simply frowned.  
"I'm not falling for whatever it is you've planned, Nick," she said.

 **5:50 PM  
** "Done!" Nick exclaimed as he pushed off towards Judy's side of the cubicle.  
"Are you expecting a medal or something?" She shot at him while she continued writing her report.  
"Okay, Carrots, you're starting to scare me. What's going on?" He asked in concern.  
"You've been acting weird all day! That's what's going on!" The bunny exclaimed as she turned to him. "What're you trying to accomplish? Because I can't figure it out and it's annoying the hell out of me!"  
"I'm not trying to do anything, Carrots! I've told you, this is just the third time I've had this day!"  
"Stop LYING!"  
Nick got up from his seat and walked out of the cubicle.  
"I'm not," he told himself.

 **5:55 PM  
** Nick walked into the male's locker room and opened his locker. This day had been either better or worse than the previous times, but it was hard to tell. What he could tell was that he had no chance of asking Judy out for the night, so he dropped the idea altogether. The fox was pulled out of his thoughts by Fangmeyer jumping him, causing his fur to bristle again.  
"Hey Slick, I heard the fight. What'd you do to piss off Judy?" The wolf asked as he opened his locker and started stripping his uniform.  
"None of your business," Nick grumpily replied as he headed for the showers. "How'd your day go?"  
"I think I'm in love!" Fangmeyer exclaimed, causing the fox to roll his eyes.

 **6:13 PM  
** Nick rested a paw on the saddened wolf's shoulder.  
"I hate to say I told you so, but…" He left the sentence hanging.  
"Yeah, I got it," Fangmeyer said as he walked out. "Seeya tomorrow."  
As he waved off the wolf, Nick heard the tell-tale sound of rapid foot-stomping behind him. He turned around to find Judy.  
"What?" He asked.  
Judy stopped her foot and started walking out of the lobby.  
"Nothing," she simply said as she passed him.

 **7:35 PM  
** Nick stared at his second mug of beer, having chugged the first exceedingly fast.  
"What would you guys do if you only had one day left to live?" He asked his friends.  
"One day?" Fangmeyer pondered. "I guess I would beg Chelsea to go out with me no matter what."  
"You're really hung up on this Chelsea girl, ain'tcha?" Finnick asked.  
"And for good reason! She's tough! I'm not interested in females that can't hold their own," the wolf stated before gulping the last of his drink down.  
Finnick just shook his head.  
"If I had one day left I think I'd track down a couple of vixens for one last fling," he laughed.  
"You mean the two vixens that you passed out with in your van and then woke up with inside their apartment?" Nick asked, recalling his friend's tale from the time before.  
The diminutive fox glared at his friend.  
"How do you know about that?" He asked.  
"You told me yesterday," Nick replied.  
Finnick immediately punched him.

 **10:48 PM  
** Nick stumbled into his apartment, still dizzy from the mix of alcohol and the bruising that he had gotten from Finnick; he could still feel a bit of blood seeping from his snout.  
The fox started undressing himself, struggling a bit with his pants before falling on his bed and drifting to sleep.


	3. Chapter 03

**Repeat the Beat  
** **Chapter 03**

 **5:00 AM  
** _…Wake me up before you go-go  
'Cause I'm not plannin' on going solo  
Wake me up before you go-go  
Take me dancing tonight…_ **  
**"Ah! What an upbeat song to start the-"  
Nick felt his nose to find that it was completely intact, with no signs of blood anywhere on the sheets. He sat up in his bed, pondering the circumstances of his situation. If his count was right, this would be the fourth time he was living the same day.

 **6:32 AM  
** As soon as Judy knocked on the door; Nick was out of his apartment and dragging her behind him.  
"Nick! Let go! What's with you today?" She exclaimed as she tried to pry herself from his grip.  
"Oh, sorry Carrots," the fox apologized as he let go. "I just figured that you'd want to get some coffee as soon as possible."

 **6:49 AM  
** "Here's that order you asked for," Nick said as he passed Judy her coffee and donut. "Carrot-crème Latte and honey-glazed, right?"  
"Thanks Nick," she said before taking a sip of her coffee. "So what is it that you wanted to talk about?"  
"I'm taking the day off," the fox stated before taking a bite of his blueberry strudel.  
"What? Why?" The bunny asked in concern.  
"I've got a doctor's appointment that I forgot until the last minute," Nick half-lied.  
"You know you should really keep better tabs on your health," Judy pointed out.  
"It's nothing major, Carrots. Just a routine check-up."  
"Well I hope you have a good day, Slick," she wished him as she got up to leave.  
"You too," he responded. "Oh! And be careful, I've heard that teenagers have been daring each other to tag police cruisers!"  
"I'll keep that in mind!"

 **8:24 AM  
** Nick sat in a clinic room waiting the results of his tests. He had called Bogo just after Judy had left him so that she wouldn't get any questions, although the exchange had left him with a ringing in his ears.  
"Well Mr. Wilde, let's take a look at the results," a cheerful beaver in scrubs said as he walked in.  
The doctor pulled out a few X-rays and aligned them on the illuminated board for them to see.  
"Well… I don't see any spots or any signs of swelling," the beaver explained as he looked at the images. "So as far as I'm concerned, your perfectly fine up there."  
"Really Doc, because I don't think something's right," Nick admitted.  
"Look, if you want, I can help with scheduling an MRI," the doctor offered.  
"Sure, why not?" The fox shrugged.  
"Okay! Let's see…"  
The beaver went through the documents on his computer until he pulled up a list of names and dates.  
"How does a month sound?"

 **11:36 AM  
** "I'm sorry, can you repeat that?" The porcupine asked as she sat in her chair.  
Nick sighed in his reclined position.  
"I'm reliving the same day. Over and over. What should I do?" He asked again.  
After the failed attempt at a medical solution, Nick had looked up a psychologist, Dr. Kyubei Hystrid.  
"Mr. Wilde, I'm not sure if I'm the one to help you for this kind of situation," she calmly explained.  
"Oh sure, brush me off as a low-life fox," Nick grumbled.  
"Mr. Wilde, I'm not doing anything of the sort, you are paying me after all," the porcupine assured him. "I just mean to say that I'm not very… Adept at this form of situation."  
"Well if you ask me, it hasn't exactly been a walk in the park on my end either."  
"Would a hug be any help?"

 **1:46 PM  
** "Can I help you?" The otter asked from behind her desk.  
"You ARE Mandy Lauter?" Nick verified as he stepped into her office. "Head researcher in Theoretical Physics?"  
Getting to the end of his rope, Nick had looked up any prominent scientific researchers within Zootopia. Fortunately, there were a few mammals that could be of possible help at the Zootopia Institute of Technology.  
"Yes?" She answered apprehensively.  
"I need your help!" He begged her.  
"I'm sorry, with what exactly?" She asked with a weak smile.  
"I'm stuck in a time-loop!" The fox exclaimed.  
The otter had a hard time repressing her laughter, but managed to keep it down in light of the worried face on the fox.  
"I'm sorry sir, but that's just a bunch of science fiction," she told him.  
"Isn't it your job to turn science fiction into science fact," Nick questioned.  
"Not exactly," she told him. "I try to verify theories and execute them in practice. But a time-loop is pretty much impossible."  
"Okay, how would it be impossible," He asked with crossed arms.  
"Well for starters, there would have to be a means to travel backwards in time," Mandy explained. "And as far as I'm concerned, the only feasible way to do THAT is to travel faster than light. And that, in itself, is currently impossible."  
Nick's ears flattened.  
"I see… So I guess that means you can't help either," he sighed as he meant to leave.  
He was stopped by a paw resting on his shoulder.  
"I can tell that SOMETHING is wrong though, so I'm sorry that I can't be of any help," the otter apologized. "But if you really are going through a time-loop, then I don't know how I would be able to help anyway."

 **4:45 PM  
** Nick was walking down Troop Street when he noticed a gathering of mammals up ahead. Curious as to what was going on, he squeezed through the crowd to find that a couple of ZPD cruisers were parked in front of the Lyonsmane Bank. He recognized Trunkaby almost instantly, the elephant directing some other officers to surround the bank.  
"Gerald!" Nick called out as he approached. "What's going on here?"  
"Well if it isn't Mr. No-Show," the elephant glared down at the fox.  
"Hey! I had a doctor's appointment, and I told Bogo that I wasn't coming in today," He defended.  
"Yeah, your partner took THAT quite well," Trunkaby responded.  
"Carrots is a grown bunny, she can take care of herself," Nick declared. "Now are you going to tell me what's going on, or am I wasting my time?"  
The elephant turned to gesture at the bank.  
"We have a bunch of mammals in there who are trying to rob the bank, and they currently have everyone inside hostage," he explained.  
"Sounds serious," the fox nodded.  
"Yes, it's a serious job for serious mammals, Wilde, and you aren't taking this job seriously, so you can leave it to us," Trunkaby said as he waved Nick off.  
"Jeez, what's his problem?" He muttered to himself.

 **6:47 PM  
** "Yeesh, what's up with you?" Finnick asked as he saw Nick approach with a sour look.  
"Oh shut up, the only reason I called you is because we both know drinking alone sucks," the fox growled as he walked into the bar.  
"Fair enough," the fennec said to himself as he followed.

 **5:00 AM  
** _…Wake me up before you go-go  
'Cause I'm not plannin' on going solo  
Wake me up before you go-go  
Take me dancing tonight…_ **  
**"Ah! What-"  
Nick's fist made contact with his radio in spectacular fashion, resulting in a pile of plastic and wires.  
"Fuck. Me."

 **6:50 AM  
** "I'm taking the day off," Nick stated before taking a bite of his blueberry muffin.  
"What? Why?" Judy asked in concern.  
"I don't know, I just-" The fox feigned hesitation to make his excuse. "I just need a break, that's all. And don't worry, I'll call Bogo, so… You just go about your day."  
"Okay, well… Thanks for the coffee, Nick," she said as she got up to leave. "See you later?"  
"Yeah, maybe…" He replied as he sipped his coffee. "Oh! Before I forget. I heard that teenagers have been daring each other to tag police cruisers."  
"I'll keep that in mind," Judy giggled as she walked out.  
"And with that, onto another day of the same…" He muttered to himself as his eyes wandered through the coffee shop.  
His gaze rested on a snow white vixen on the opposite side of the shop, dressed in business attire while reading the morning paper. Nick thought about how beautiful she looked, all professional and neat, and figured that he would never have a chance.  
But then he thought back to his circumstances, he was reliving the same day over and over again, and she was going to be there every single time. A smile curled on the fox's face as he realized in what an opportune situation he was in.  
Nick got up from his booth and walked over to where the vixen was sitting, taking the spot facing her. With her seemingly oblivious to his presence, he cleared his throat to get her attention.  
"Can I help you?" She calmly asked.  
"I was just wondering what your name was," Nick bluntly stated.  
"Tanya Vickens, why?" She replied apprehensively.  
"Just a survey for the shop," Nick grinned. "May I ask where you're from, Tanya?"  
"I'm from Hamilton," Tanya swiftly replied.  
"Canidian," the fox said with raised eyebrows. "It's good to see travelers around here. Judging from the suit, are you on business?"  
"Yes, I'm attending a showing later today," she replied.  
"And what kind of showing is that?" Nick pressed.  
"An auto show," Tanya answered, her fingers starting to drum on the table.  
"One last question," he asserted. "Which coffee did you order?"  
Tanya paused for a moment before reaching for her cup.  
"Why don't you take a guess," she said before dumping her beverage over his head.  
"If you're going to flirt, then stop beating around the bush," the vixen announced as she gathered her things. "Idiot."  
Nick remained stoic until she left the shop.  
"Well at least it wasn't hot."

 **6:55 AM  
** Nick approached Tanya's table with a fresh cup of Latte.  
"Excuse me, do you mind if I sit here?" He asked.  
The vixen looked up at him and gave him a quick once-over.  
"I don't see why not," she answered.  
"Thanks."  
He took the seat and started sipping at his coffee, the vixen returning to her paper.  
"You know, I come in here every day. And this is the first time I've seen you here," Nick smirked. "Are you new around here?"  
"Couldn't it be that I just wanted to try the coffee this one time?" Tanya defended.  
"No, you strike me as a mammal who isn't from around here," he replied. "You look like someone from… Canida."  
The vixen smiled and set her paper down.  
"I'm from Hamilton, actually," she told him.  
He flashed her his trademark smile.  
"You look like someone who would benefit from a mammal who knows their way around Zootopia though," Nick offered. "Nick Wilde, at your service."  
He offered her his paw, which she gently shook.  
"Tanya Vickens, a pleasure."  
Nick chuckled.  
"The pleasure is all mine."

 **8:42 PM  
** The two foxes stumbled into Nick's apartment, wrapped in each other's embrace. Kissing, licking, nibbling, all while discarding their clothes all about the place.  
"You sure know your way around Zootopia, Nick," Tanya commented as she pushed him onto his bed. "But do you know your way around a vixen?"  
"I'll have you trembling," he grinned.  
"That's what I'm expecting," she smirked before kissing him deeply.

 **3:54 PM  
** Nick pulled Tanya off of the showroom floor and into one of the side-halls.  
"Nick!" The vixen hissed. "What are you doing? I have a presentation coming up!"  
"But it's not for another fifteen minutes, isn't it?" He said soothingly as he traced her collarbone.  
"Um, yes. But-" She stammered.  
"Then we have all the time we need," he whispered into her ear before pulling her into the bathroom.  
"Nick, what are you doing?" She said as she got shoved into one of the stalls along with him.  
Nick held her arms firmly against her sides.  
"You know very well what I'm doing," he grinned. "And you want it too."  
The vixen bit her lip before she started unbuttoning her blouse.

 **12:45 PM  
** "Oops, dropped my fork," Nick said apologetically to Tanya. "I'll just grab it quick."  
The fox ducked under the restaurant table and found the utensil he had dropped, but crawled over it to where Tanya was sitting. The vixen was wearing a black business skirt and had her legs firmly together. In one movement, Nick grabbed her legs, opened them up and buried himself in her. Tanya let out a stifled moan at the unexpected action.  
"Sorry, Tanya," Nick said quietly from under her skirt. "But I was too impatient for dessert. Just stay quiet, and no one will notice."

 **9:34 PM  
** Tanya rested alongside Nick in his bed, twirling a finger through his cream-coloured front.  
"I never knew that you could make love in so many different ways, Nick," she cooed softly.  
"What can I say? I've had practice," he replied.  
"Unfortunately, my stay is only for the length of the showing," Tanya told him. "So as soon as it's over, I'll have to go back to Hamilton."  
"That's too bad," Nick absently answered.  
"But if I had a reason to stay…" The vixen left the sentence hanging.  
"Do you want me to marry you?" Nick asked.  
"YES!"  
The vixen leapt on top of him and pulled his muzzle in for a kiss.  
"Oh Nick, I thought you'd never ask!"  
"Oh, Judy!" Nick let slip.  
"Judy?" Tanya questioned as she pushed him back on the bed. "Who's Judy?"  
"I mean Tanya! I'll love you till the end of time!" Nick recovered as he pulled the vixen back down.  
"Oh, Nick!"

 **5:00 AM  
** _…Wake me up_ -  
"No more Tanya," Nick stated as he turned off his alarm.


	4. Chapter 04

**Repeat the Beat  
** **Chapter 04**

 **6:49 AM  
** Nick took a sip of his coffee, a Blueberry-crème Double Macchiato Latte, before speaking.  
"I'm taking the day off," he told Judy.  
"What? Why?" she asked in concern.  
"I just feel like it," Nick said, having no excuse for the matter.  
"Well… I guess everyone needs a break once in a while," the bunny reasoned.  
"Hey, Carrots. Can I ask you something?"  
"Sure," Judy shrugged.  
"If you only had one day left to live, what would you do with it?" Nick asked.  
She pondered the question for only a moment.  
"I guess I would go back to Bunnyburrow, see my family for one last time," she grinned.  
Nick felt his eyes water at the mention of family.  
"Nick? Are you okay?" Judy asked, concern washing over her again.  
"Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. Just a little dust," the fox lied as he wiped his tears. "You might want to get going, don't want to be late for the subway."  
"Yeah… I guess," the bunny said as she got up. "Thanks for the coffee, Nick."  
"Anytime."  
Judy walked out of the shop before he could remember to warn her about the spray paint.

 **11:32 AM  
** Nick stood on the doorstep of a small two-story home just on the outskirts of Savanna Central's suburban area. He hadn't been to this place in years, from what he could recall, and he regretted not having come back sooner. Nick rang the doorbell and waited for a response.  
"Coming!" He heard a familiar voice through the door. "Although if it's you again, Arthur, than you can buzz off!"  
"I'm not sure who Arthur is, but I can assure you, I'm not him," Nick called through the door.  
"Well then who is it?" The voice called back as an elderly vixen opened the door.  
"Hey Mom," Nick greeted. "I'm sorry it's been a while."  
"Nicky!" Nick's mother cried out as she pulled him into a hug. "I don't care! I'm just so glad to see you again!"  
"Same here," he softly replied as tears streamed down his face.  
"Well let's get you inside, would you like something to eat?" She offered. "I can make you a sandwich, if you like? I've still got that blueberry jam that you used to love."  
Nick gave a heart-warming smile to his mother.  
"I would love one."  
"Go ahead, please, take a seat in the living room. This'll only take a minute."  
As his mother rushed to the kitchen to make his sandwich, Nick wandered over to the living room. It was just as he remembered it, chalk-full of pictures of him and her cluttering the walls. The couch was still the same well-worn piece that he remembered spending nights sleeping on while dozing off to late-night shows. He sat down the familiar spot and turned on the same old TV that occupied his kithood.  
The picture sprung to life on the local news, which was broadcasting a chase occurring on Big Dune Boulevard in Sahara Square.  
"Say 'Cheese', Carrots," he joked. "You're on TV."  
And just as he said it, the cruiser swerved to the left and crashed into a nearby palm tree. Nick's heart sank as he saw it happen. On the broadcast, mammals crowded around the wreck, some even brave enough to dive in to help the officers inside. When Nick saw the body of a limp bunny being pulled out, he dropped the remote.  
"Nicholas?" His mother called to him from the hallway. "Is everything all right?"  
He didn't know what to say, he merely stared at her, tears swelling in his eyes.  
"Nick, you can tell me," she assured him.  
"Thanks for the sandwich, Mom," he said. "But I have to go. I'm so sorry."  
Without so much as waiting for an answer, Nick rushed out of the house and headed for the subway station.

 **1:36 PM**  
The steady beeping of the heart monitor was the only reassurance that she was alive. Nick sat next to Judy, almost unrecognizable under all the casts and bandages, and tortured himself for not being there in the cruiser with her.  
All these times that he had not been there with her, she had gone through that crash, he was certain of it. How many times had it been? How many loops had he made? He couldn't remember, and it wouldn't matter. Because it would all start over again the next day. And she would crash again. And again. And again.

 **5:00 AM  
** _… Wake me up_ -  
"Not today."

 **6:50 AM  
** "You can't be serious," Judy chuckled before taking a sip of her coffee.  
"No really," Nick assured her. "Let's take the day off, just you and me."  
"Heh, why would I want to take the day off?"  
Nick chuckled.  
"How much do you know about Zootopia?" He asked.  
"Nick, I'm a cop, I practically live and breathe Zootopia," she joked before biting into her donut.  
"Well sure, but what do you KNOW about Zootopia?" He pressed.  
The bunny smiled, and then reflected on what he meant. Although it had been over a year since she had moved and joined the force, she felt that it was true, she hardly knew about the city itself.  
"Tell you what," Nick offered. "You take the day off with me, and I'll show you the most of what the city can offer you. Deal?"  
Judy gave him a smirk.  
"Deal."

 **7:15 AM  
** Nick pulled Judy onto the subway car and directed her to an open seat. He sat down next to her, a paw resting on her thigh. The bunny's ears flushed pink at the contact, but otherwise, she did nothing to stop him.  
"So where are we going?" Judy asked, trying to look at anything but him.  
"I was thinking that we should start from the bottom and work our way up," the fox suggested. "First stop, Nocturnal District. The literal underbelly of Zootopia."  
"Oh, uh… Okay," she replied in surprise.  
Nick made a mental note of her reaction.

 **7:15 AM  
** "So where are we going?" Judy asked, trying to look at anything but him.  
"I figured we could start the day off slow, just a quiet walk through the Meadowlands District," Nick offered.  
The bunny smiled.  
"That sounds nice."

 **8:56 AM  
** Nick followed Judy as she ran ahead, still completely excited by the rolling green hills of the Meadowlands District.  
"I still can't believe that most of the buildings and markets are under the hills though!" She exclaimed.  
"Well it can't be all that different from Bunnyburrow, can't it?" Nick pointed out.  
The bunny giggled.  
"I guess you're right. But to think that we're still inside the city limits!"  
"I know, it's like a patch of the countryside got sewed into a quilt that it doesn't belong in," the fox joked.  
Judy paused.  
"You think it doesn't belong here?" She questioned.  
Nick mentally hit himself for the offensive comment.

 **8:57 AM  
** Judy giggled.  
"I guess you're right. But to think that we're still inside the city limits!" She exclaimed.  
"I think the city needed a much calmer district to balance out with the more hectic areas," Nick pondered.  
The bunny gave a relaxed smile.  
"I can understand that."

 **10:46 AM  
** Nick directed Judy through the crowds of Savanna Central.  
"Okay, Nick, where are you taking me now?" She asked as she circled a family of hedgehogs.  
"Just you wait, I'm sure you'll love it," he said as he flashed his trademark grin.  
They came upon an open park area, trees and bushes scattered here and there, a fountain splashing in the middle of a pond. Judy was amazed at the natural beauty that thrived in the middle of the city, but her friend never let up on showing her around. The fox directed her to a squat glass building on one side of the park.  
"You can't be serious," the bunny smiled.  
"Dead serious," he replied as he opened the door and beckoned her inside.  
It was a greenhouse. Shelves upon shelves of flowers, greenery and fruit-bearing plants surrounded her; it was a botanist's paradise.  
Judy's inner farmer leapt with joy at the sight of it all and she had to keep herself from pulling a binky. She never knew about this place, had she known about it from the day she moved, the bunny would have surely bought a couple of plants to care for on her apartment window.  
"Well? What do you think?" Nick asked the awestruck bunny.  
He was met with a tight hug around his waist.  
"This is the best," she simply said.  
The fox smiled and started petting her velvety fur. Judy, however, suddenly became a little self-conscious of the contact and broke the embrace, her ears flushing slightly red.  
"Uh… Come on! Let's go see what they have!" She nervously offered.  
She sped off to disappear among the plats, leaving Nick chuckling.

 **10:52 AM  
** As Judy eyed the various plants that flooded the greenhouse, he suddenly realized how little he knew about her. He knew that she was from Bunnyburrow and grew up on a farm, but he never pegged her as a female that adored flowers. She was always upbeat and headstrong, unwavering in the face of danger. That all seemed to fly out the window, however, as soon as Judy had stepped inside the greenhouse.  
"Oh! This would definitely look nice in my apartment!" She exclaimed, pointing to a set of sky blue flowers.  
"I wouldn't know," Nick replied. "I'm not the expert here."  
"I'm far from an expert, Nick," the bunny chuckled. "Although I do have a familiar grasp of botany just from living on a farm."  
"You were able to figure out that Nighthowlers were flowers," he pointed out.  
"Okay, well… Yeah, I guess."  
"Do you have any favourite flowers though?" The fox asked.  
Judy smirked at the question.  
"I think I saw them back this way," she told him as she grabbed his arm to follow.  
The bunny led him to a set of fluffy yellow balls on tall, thick stalks that towered over them, all arranged in a row.  
"Teddy Bear Sunflowers," she explained. "If I had the space, I'd definitely buy one. They're so fluffy and tall, and because they're sunflowers they always point east towards sunrise. I like to think that they're always looking towards the next day, never letting the current one let them down."  
Nick smiled at the optimistic thought.  
"Do you have a favourite, Nick?" Judy suddenly asked.  
The fox gave off a nervous laugh, unsure what to expect if he told her.  
"I like those Venus Flytraps," he innocently answered. "Reminds me how anything can be at least a little savage."  
The bunny gave her own nervous laugh.  
"Well that's nice… I guess."

 **10:56 AM  
** "Do you have a favourite, Nick?" Judy suddenly asked.  
The fox gave her a smile and took hold of her arm.  
"How about I show you?" he said as he led her through the greenhouse.  
He had her stop at a low flowerbed that was filled with purple flowers on top of spiky stalks, each of them about as high as Judy.  
"Cirsium lecontei," he told her.  
"Le Conte's Thistles," she said to herself as she eyed the flowers.  
"I like how such a wonderfully purple flower protects itself with all its spines," Nick said as he stroked a few of the bulbs. "It shows how even the most beautiful of things know how to handle the world around them."  
He looked over to Judy and found that her ears were flushed red again.  
"And before you go saying that roses do the same, I'll have you know that their thorns are too stiff for my tastes," the fox continued. "I like my flowers to have a little give in their armour. It gives me the impression that they aren't completely uncaring."  
Judy unconsciously bit her lip at his wording.

 **5:57 PM  
** "Alright, Nick, you've shown me that there's more to Zootopia than I thought there was, but I'm afraid we'll have to call it a day."  
"Come on, Carrots, at least humor me by joining me for dinner," he offered with a smile.  
The bunny rolled her eyes at his demeanor.  
"Okay, okay," she chuckled. "Where are you taking me then?"  
"Nothing special, just a little bistro that I think you might enjoy," the fox explained as he led her down own of the streets in the city center.  
They finally came up to a small establishment, with a modest sign dangling just above the door that read 'La Ratatouille'.  
"What is this place?" Judy asked as she eyed the delicate but modest furnishing.  
"Just a little place I found about a year or so ago," Nick admitted. "I come here ever so often, but not enough to be considered a regular by any case."  
A squirrel in waiter dress approached them and ushered the duo to a free table.  
"Might I suggest a glass of wine to start the night?" The waiter offered.  
Before Judy could refuse, the fox immediately piped up.  
"I think we'll have a bottle of _Château de Cesseras,_ from _Minervois La Livinière_ ," Nick suggested. "If you have any, of course."  
"You are a lucky couple," the squirrel smiled. "It just so happens that we have received our order this morning. I'll fetch it for you."  
Judy's ears flushed red at the waiter's implication in calling them a couple.  
"Do you often drink wine?" she asked her friend.  
"Only on special occasions," the fox replied.

 **7:13 PM  
** "That was probably the best meal I've had in Zootopia so far," Judy sighed in satisfaction as they left the bistro.  
"Well I'm glad you enjoyed it," Nick smiled. "And if you don't mind staying up a bit later, I heard that there was a play happening at a theatre just up the street."  
Judy giggled.  
"Well we're already here, so why not?"  
She grabbed him by the paw and pulled the fox up the sidewalk, despite not even knowing the way. The fox chuckled in surprise and caught up to her pace, leading the way so she wouldn't get them lost.  
He ordered two tickets as soon as they reached the entrance of the 'New Moon Theatre', and the couple ushered themselves into some of the best seats that the room had. Other mammals shuffled in, filling the space to almost bursting, but silence fell as soon as the lights were dimmed and the curtains rose.  
As Judy remained dazzled by the acting on-stage, Nick only had eyes for her. He had seen the play so many times that he could recite each line perfectly. And as the two protagonists confessed their love for each other, Nick took Judy's paw in his and intertwined their fingers.  
Judy jumped slightly at the contact, and looked down to verify that she wasn't imagining things. She saw the grey mixing with orange and looked up to his eyes. His emerald eyes filled with calm and comfort, dashed with a hint of savagery that was distinct to all predators. But she knew that he wouldn't hurt her in the slightest.

 **10:32 PM  
** Judy was pressed up against Nick as he leaned on his apartment door.  
"So what is it that had to wait until now before you would tell me?" She whispered as she snuck a kiss.  
"I want you, Judy," the fox breathed. "I want you here. Now."  
She gave him another soft kiss.  
"Sorry, Slick, but maybe another time," she apologized. "We've got work tomorrow, remember?"  
"No, please, it has to be tonight," he begged. "I can't let you leave."  
"Nick it's been great today, probably the best," the bunny admitted, getting slightly nervous.  
"Then why not make it THE best?" Nick pressed, approaching for another kiss.  
"Nick, stop. This is going too fast!"  
"I'd say we haven't been going fast enough," he argued.  
"Stop!" Judy yelled as she pushed him away. "I've had enough. Thanks for the wonderful day, but I'm going home now."  
The bunny stormed off, tears starting to well in her eyes.  
"Judy! WAIT!"

 **10:33 PM  
** "I want you now," Nick softly said as he buried his snout in her neck.  
"No… Please… Stop it," Judy moaned from the contact, struggling to free herself.  
"You know you want it," the fox pressed.  
Her anger flared at the comment and she gave a swift knee to his gut. Nick crumpled over in pain, releasing the bunny from his grasp.  
"You don't know what I want," Judy fumed before stepping over and leaving.  
"Ju… Dy…" Nick gasped as he clutched his stomach.

 **10:22 PM  
** Nick stared at the cottontail that Judy swayed in front of him as they walked. He wondered how it fluffy it felt, and couldn't help but reach for a slight petting.  
Judy felt a tingle through her tail and suppressed a slight shiver, she knew that Nick was teasing her, but she didn't want to overstep anything in their relationship.  
Feeling confident from the lack of response, Nick eyed the rest of Judy's figure. Her long ears that swiveled ever so much at the slightest sound. Her petite frame that belied her toughness that she prided on. And her powerful legs that met the ever so fluffy tuft of her tail in such a round, juicy, looking rear.  
Nick reached out and gave a gently squeeze, causing the bunny to tense up and turn. He wasn't wrong in deducing that her legs where strong, as he was met with a swift kick in the groin that had him keeling over in pain.  
"For a fox, you really are a pig, Wilde!"

 **7:09 PM  
** "Disgusting."

 **5:32 PM  
** "I'm going home."

 **2:34 PM  
** "I've had enough for today."

 **12:12 PM  
** "Okay, that's it."

 **10:58 AM  
** "I'm more than just an object, you jack-ass!"

 **5:01 AM  
** Nick stared at the ceiling, his radio alarm-clock in pieces on the opposite side of the room. He had had enough of this day. He wanted it to end, to just move on and be rid of this horrible existence.  
He got up from his bed and headed for the bathroom. He set the water running and plugged the tub so it would fill. The fox stumbled over to the kitchen, yanked the toaster out of its socket and brought it with him.  
Placing himself in the half-filled tub, Nick picked up the toaster, turned it on, and dropped it in the water.

 **5:34 AM  
** Nick stared out at the skyline than stood in front of his apartment, the morning wind blowing through his fur. He looked down below from the rooftop where he stood. Only a few mammals were milling about, either getting home from a late night, or just getting up for an early day.  
Nick closed his eyes and stepped off the ledge.

 **12:52 PM  
** Nick was firmly placed into a chair in the familiar office of Mr. Big. The polar bears set themselves on guard on either side of him. The arctic shrew looked at him with a puzzled look.  
"My dear Nicky, what is it that compelled you to break into my home?" He asked.  
"I want you to ice me," the fox simply stated.  
"If this is your idea of a joke, then I'm sad to say that I'm not amused," Mr. Big replied. "I cannot simply ice the best friend of my grand-daughter's godmother."  
"I never liked your business deals," Nick said.  
"They have always been questionable, yes, and not everyone agrees with the way I handle things, but that is understandable."  
"I hate you."  
"You really want to die, don't you Nicky," the shrew growled, barely containing his anger.  
"I never liked your Grand-mama."  
"ICE HIM!"

 **6:48 AM  
** Judy laughed at Nick's statement.  
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" She asked. "For a second, I thought you said you were God."  
Nick sipped his Blueberry-crème Double Macchiato Latte before responding.  
"I'm A god, I'm not THE god," he stated.  
"Just because you survived a wreck?"  
"I didn't just survive a wreck. I wasn't just blown-up yesterday," the fox admitted. "I have been stabbed, shot, poisoned, frozen, hung, electrocuted, and burned."  
"Really now?" Judy asked in disbelief.  
"And every morning I wake up without a scratch on me, not a dent in the fender... I am an immortal."  
The bunny finished her donut and took a sip of her coffee.  
"Okay… I'll just leave you alone for today," she said as she got up to leave.  
Nick stepped in front of her and blocked her escape.  
"You think I'm crazy, don't you?" he guessed.  
"You ranting that you're a god. Yes, I think you're crazy," Judy exclaimed.  
"What would it take to make you believe me?"  
"Try me."  
Nick shrugged at the offer.  
"Very well."  
He dragged her over to the arctic vixen reading the morning newspaper.  
"Judy, this is Tanya Vickens," he introduced. "She's from Hamilton, Canida, and she's here on business for an auto show. She's going to be making a presentation on a new generation of spark plugs that her team has invented in their small enterprise out of her own garage. She also has a Masters in engineering and physics."  
"That's… True…" The vixen commented in shock.  
He then pulled Judy over to the counter and gestured to the barista that made their orders.  
"Arnold Destin has been a barista here for two years now. He's been saving up to go to college and study in theatrical arts. Unfortunately, his girlfriend is spending his savings and he doesn't know how to cut ties."  
"It's true," the dingo sadly confessed.  
"That's enough Nick," Judy stopped him. "For all I know, this could be another one of your pranks!"  
"Okay, you want something to believe in?" Nick asked in frustration. "In ten seconds a capybara will come through that door, go to the barista and ask for a Half-Decaf Latte with a hint of vanilla and a dash of cinnamon."  
"Oh that's just ridiculous!"  
"Four, three, two, one…"  
The door to the shop opened, ringing the bell that hung on it. A capybara walked in, dressed in a business suit, and went to the counter to order.  
"I'll have a Half-Decaf Latte with a hint of Vanilla and a dash of cinnamon, please," he asked.  
Judy pulled Nick back into their booth.  
"Okay Nick, I believe you," she said, shaking.  
"Thank you," he smiled in relief.  
"What about me?"  
"What about you?"  
"What do you know about me?" The bunny questioned.  
"I know all about you," Nick confessed. "I know you love your job, that you love this city. But I also know that because of your job, you never really took the time to look around. I know that your favourite flower is the Teddy Bear Sunflower. I know that you remember all two-hundred and seventy-five of your sibling's names and birthdays and can match you for every single one. I know you enjoy open spaces and that you would like to have flowers in your apartment."  
Judy stared at him in disbelief.  
"How do you know all this?"  
"Because I have been reliving this day over and over," the fox told her. "Every day I wake up, it's the same day as before. And I don't even remember how long this has been going on."  
Tears started to well in Nick eyes as he went on.  
"And if you walk out now, Judy, and you go to work... I know what happens, but I can't tell what happens next," he cried. "So please Judy… Don't leave me."  
There were few times that Nick ever called her by name. But she always knew that whenever he did, he was completely and immovably serious. And right there, she knew that he was telling the truth.  
She placed her paw on his in attempts to comfort him.  
"I'll be right here Nick, I'm not going anywhere."


	5. Chapter 05

**Repeat the Beat  
** **Chapter 05**

 **11:50 AM  
** "… Alright, who's Zoey?" Judy asked as they walked down the street.  
The bunny was testing Nick to make sure that he wasn't lying, since the fox had claimed to know all two-hundred and seventy-five of her siblings.  
"Zoey's your youngest sister," He stated. "And according to what you've told me, she'll be turning eighteen in a couple of months. She's always trying to one-up everyone else in your family, although much to her disappointment, she hasn't been able to. And you've also shared that she's taken a keen interest in males, lately."  
Judy nodded as he was correct on all accounts. Secretly, she was feeling sorry for the trouble that Zoey was sure to cause as soon as she hit eighteen.  
"Okay then, how about Philip?" The bunny smirked.  
Nick chuckled.  
"Nice try, Carrots, but you don't have a brother named Philip. But you do have one named Phil, currently working for a landscaping company in Bunnyburrow."  
"I should've known better than to try and slip one past you."  
"Well, we're here, so you can take a break with your 'test'," the fox told her as he stopped in front of a small house.  
"Where's here?"  
"You'll see," he quipped as he walked onto the front porch and rang the doorbell.  
They waited on the doorstep in silence, but that silence was broken by a voice from inside.  
"I swear! If that's you again, Arthur, I'm calling the cops on you!"  
"That won't be necessary, we're already here," Nick joked as the door swung open to reveal an elderly vixen.  
"I beg your pardon?" She asked as she looked at Nick.  
"Hi Mom," he greeted. "I'm sorry it's been a while."  
"Nicky!" The vixen cried out as she pulled him into a hug. "I don't care! I'm just so glad to see you again!"  
"Same here," the fox chuckled. "Mom, I'd like you to meet Judy Hopps. She's my partner at the precinct where I work. Judy, this is my mom, Victoria Wilde."  
"It's so nice to meet you Mrs. Wilde," Judy said as she shook the vixen's paw.  
"Oh, aren't you adorable!" Mrs. Wilde smiled. "But please, call me Vicky, everyone does. Would you two like to come in? I can make us some sandwiches."

 **1:24 PM  
** "And don't be strangers, you two! You're welcome anytime!" Vicky said as she waved off the pair from her porch.  
"You're mom's very nice. You should visit her more often," Judy commented as they walked back towards the subway station.  
"It used to be that I never had the time to do that," Nick muttered, suddenly solemn.  
"What's wrong?"  
"It's nothing… I'm just getting tired of this day."

 **6:34 PM  
** An empty pizza box lay on the floor of Nick's apartment as he and Judy finished up their slices.  
"I can't believe you convinced me to buy it," the bunny said as she stared at the Teddy Bear Sunflower that sat on the fire escape.  
"Yeah, well, you had mentioned before that you would buy one if you had the space at your place. So I figured, why not just keep it here?" The fox replied. "Besides, it'll keep my thistles company."  
"You are such a sap, you know that?" She chuckled.  
"Do I know that?" Nick said in mock wonder. "Yes. Yes I do."

 **11:59 PM  
** "You're throwing it too hard, Carrots. Just a simple flick, like this."  
He tossed the playing card across the bed where it spun into the waiting hat. Judy attempted to throw her next card only to have it flop just in front of her. She laughed at her inadequacy.  
"I'll never get this right, it would take forever," she stated.  
"Not forever. Maybe six months, give or take a week."  
"And this is what you've been doing with your looping?"  
"This isn't all I've been doing."  
"Wait, what time is it?" Judy suddenly asked.  
Nick peered at his phone.  
"Twelve-oh-one, why?"  
"You're still here!" She exclaimed.  
"Carrots. My days don't start until five," he told her.  
"You jerk!" She laughed as she gave a playful shove.  
"What? Did you think that it started at midnight?"  
"Obviously!"

 **3:47 AM  
** Nick lay in bed with Judy resting her head on his stomach.  
"Hey Carrots. Are you sleeping?" He softly asked.  
"Mmm-no," she replied as she lifted her head and rubbed her eyes.  
"Did I wake you?"  
She shook her head in response.  
"Okay."  
"Nick?"  
"Yeah?"  
"Can I ask you something?"  
"Sure… Anything…"  
"How many times have you repeated this day?"  
"What do you mean?" Nick asked in confusion.  
"I mean, how many times have you told me about this?"  
Nick didn't respond for a moment, the silence weighing in the air above them.  
"Just this once," he confessed.  
"I'm glad."  
"Why?"  
Judy looked up at him with her amethyst eyes.  
"Because at least I know that your actions were genuine," she smiled before resting her head again.

 **4:57 AM**  
Nick stared up at the ceiling, perfectly conscious of the bunny dozing on top of him. He pet her head softly, careful not to wake her.  
"I love you Judy," he whispered in her ear.

 **5:00 AM  
** _…Wake me up before you go-go  
'Cause I'm not plannin' on going solo  
Wake me up before you go-go  
Take me dancing tonight…_  
Nick turned off his radio alarm-clock with ease as there was no bunny impeding him. He sadly stared at the empty sheets of his bed before steeling himself. He was going to make this a good day.

 **6:32 AM  
** Nick opened the door to find Judy just outside, the bunny still in the motion to knock. The result was her firmly tapping on Nick's chest before she noticed that he was there.  
"Like what you feel, Carrots?" Nick asked before she could pull her paw away.  
"I- uh… I was just about to knock. So- uh…" She stammered, embarrassed by the morning interaction.  
"Let's go grab some coffee," Nick offered.

 **6:46 AM  
** "Here you go," the barista said as he offered the two their order. "One Carrot-crème Latte, one Blueberry-crème Double Macchiato Latte, a honey-glazed donut, and a blueberry-jelly donut."  
"That's a lot of blueberry," Judy commented as they exited the coffee shop.  
"Come on, Carrots, you should know by now that I love blueberries," Nick replied.  
"Sure, I know that, but this is way different from what you usually order," she pointed out before taking a bite of her donut.  
"I realized that I've been a bit too uppity with my choice of coffee, might as well enjoy what we're drinking, right?" He said as he took a sip.

 **7:15 AM  
** Nick finished up his donut just as the subway car arrived, Judy immediately rushing for an empty seat, of which there were plenty. The fox sat himself down next to her, his paw gently resting on her thigh. She made no sound, but Judy stiffened at the deliberate contact, her ears flushing a slight pink for the whole ride.

 **7:53 AM  
** Nick had deliberately stalled his entrance into the male's locker room by chatting with Clawhauser beforehand. The cheetah was easily the biggest gossip in the precinct and he needed everything that he had to offer. So when the fox walked in, he wasn't surprised to find a half-naked Fangmeyer tackling him. He rolled with the impact and ended up pinning the wolf.  
"Gotcha Fangmeyer," he grinned as he got up and offered his paw.  
"Slick as ever, Wilde," the white wolf replied as he got up.  
The fox laughed as he made his way to his locker.  
"So what do you think the chief has for us today?" Fangmeyer asked as he went back to dressing himself.  
"Probably the same old stuff as usual," Nick replied as he opened up his locker and started putting his own uniform on. "Just as long as I don't get Parking Duty, I'm fine with anything."  
"How can you be so sure that you wouldn't enjoy it?" The white wolf teased. "You've never even been assigned it since your first day."  
"I know, but I've heard enough complaints from Carrots that have me thinking otherwise."  
"Pfft. She's a female. Females complain about everything," Fangmeyer waved off.  
"Oh sure, but they make better company than any male could," Nick smirked.  
"Well if you think that, they why don't you go join them in their locker room?"  
Nick grinned at the thought.  
"Tell you what, I bet that I can walk in the female's locker room and walk out without so much as a scratch," he told him with confidence.  
"You're signing a death wish, Wilde," the wolf laughed. "But I'll take you up on that bet. I'll even give you the whole day to do it. But you have to come back with proof that you actually went in there."  
Nick flashed his trademark smirk.  
"I'll bring back a photo of Judy in her underwear," he grinned with crossed arms.  
"Oh you are so dead if she catches you!"

 **8:31 AM  
** Nick pulled himself onto the chair next to Judy, who was impatiently waiting for the day's assignments.  
"Alright everyone, settle down," Bogo said as he posted himself at the podium.  
"Before we get onto today's agenda, we have a new member, Chelsea Cocuta. She just transferred from precinct 5 on Outback Island, so I hope you'll give her the respect she deserves."  
The fox looked around to find the spotted hyena standing up with a professional salute.  
"Fangmeyer! You'll partner up with Cocuta, get her used to the area."  
"Yessir!" The wolf replied with a straight face.  
After the introduction, roll call proceeded as usual. Bogo gave out patrol routes to nearly everyone present, leaving Nick and Judy's assignment last.  
"Hopps. Wilde," the buffalo called. "You'll be patrolling-"  
"The lower-west side of Sahara Square and then the lower east side of Savanna Central this afternoon?" Nick completed for him, making sure to finish it as a question.  
Bogo eyed the fox for a moment.  
"Yes," he slowly confirmed.  
"Thanks chief, we'll get on it," he smiled as he stepped down from the chair and proceeded to walk out of the bull-pen.  
Judy hurriedly caught up to him, bewildered by what had happened.  
"How did you know where we were going to patrol?" She asked.  
"Simple process of elimination from the other patrol routes," the fox told her.  
"And what about the change-up?"  
"It's going to get unbearably hot this afternoon in Sahara Square, Carrots." Nick informed her. "So I guessed that Bogo didn't want his best dying of heat stroke."  
"You are so full of yourself sometimes," she grinned.

 **11:27 AM  
** "Hey Carrots, get a load of this," Nick said as he pointed towards the gas station just down the street.  
Judy followed where he was pointing from the passenger seat, Nick having insisted on driving for the day. Coming out of the gas station were a couple of mammals in ski masks.  
"I'm hitting the lights," she smiled.  
"I had a feeling you'd say that," the fox replied as he buckled up.

 **11:35 AM  
** "THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING! PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY!" Judy's voice roared though the megaphone as the chase continued on.  
Nick had been sure to keep close to the thieves as they had been led through the cramped alleys of lower Slot Street, and had kept his cruiser close to them as they sped along the open Big Dune Boulevard.  
"Nick! I'm feeling a bit too close for comfort!" Judy exclaimed.  
They had been practically sucking on the robbers' fumes for the entire chase.  
"Don't worry, Carrots, I'm going to attempt a PIT maneuver," Nick told her.  
"WHAT!? But there's civilians!" She protested. "I'm calling for backup."  
As she went to pick up the radio, Nick held her arm firmly.  
"Judy. Just trust me on this," the fox asked.  
She paused for only a moment.  
"Okay."  
Nick veered the cruiser to the left and proceeded to accelerate the vehicle. As the front end approached the back axel, he made the cruiser contact the target. The sound of squealing tires were heard as the other vehicle made a one-eighty spin around the cruiser, slowing down before stopping hard in a nearby palm tree. Nick put the brakes to slow down the vehicle and made a U-turn towards the crash. Luckily, the thieves were merely dizzied by the impact and were soon cuffed and stuffed in the back of the police cruiser.

 **11:51 AM  
** As Nick and Judy surveyed the towing of the crashed vehicle, she couldn't help but smile at him.  
"I can't believe that actually worked," she commented. "I never would have had the guts to do it."  
Nick simply nodded in agreement.

 **12:32 PM  
** Nick sat down in the booth with a satisfied look on his face.  
"What took you so long?" Judy asked as she finished up her salad.  
"I was just straightening up a little management in the back," he stated as he unwrapped his cicada burger.  
"You what?" The bunny asked.  
"Turns out that the manager was using the headsets to flirt with one of the customers and it was interfering with all of the orders," he explained. "So I just told him to go out and ask for her number directly."  
"And what happened?"  
Nick shrugged.  
"I don't know. I just finally have my cicada burger without onions."

 **1:10 PM  
** "Hey Carrots, would you mind keeping a lookout while I get us some coffee?" Nick asked as he stepped out of the cruiser.  
"Sure."  
"And really be on the lookout for teenagers," he added. "I've been hearing things about dares to tag police cruisers."  
"Not happening on my watch," Judy smirked.  
"I'll hold you to that!" The fox called out as he made for the coffee shop around the corner.  
As he entered the shop he flagged the barista for two cups of coffee before pulling out his phone and making a call. The tone sounded for a good thirty seconds before it was picked up on the other end.  
"Hello… This… Is… Flash… Speaking," the voice of the sloth stumbled through.  
"Flash! How're you doing today? I hope you're keeping track of time," Nick greeted his friend as he took the two coffees that the barista offered.  
"I'm… Doing… Great… In… Fact… I… Should… Be going… Just… About… Now," Flash replied.  
"Well I won't keep you on the phone much longer. Have a good day, Flash. And don't let me catch you speeding again," the fox joked.  
"I… Won't… Catch you… Later… Nick," he responded before hanging up.  
"That should have him get back on time," Nick muttered to himself as he rounded the corner.  
To his delight, he found that the cruiser was still spotless, just as he left it. Only now, a glaring bunny was standing on top of the hood.  
"Are you modeling as a hood ornament, Carrots?" The fox joked as he approached.  
"No, I was just making sure that those teenagers weren't coming back," Judy retorted as she hopped down and grabbed one of the coffees that Nick offered.  
"So it's true then? The whole tagging cruisers shtick?" He questioned.  
"They had the can ready and everything, I'm glad you told me about it."  
"My pleasure," the fox smiled as he took to the driver's seat.

 **4:52 PM  
** "Nick, what are we doing around here? We're way off of our patrol route," Judy asked as Nick had them rolling parallel to Troop Street.  
"I just have a hunch," he told her.  
"Yeah, well I'd rather we have a legitimate reason for being here."  
The radio then acted up and started broadcasting a call:  
"This is Officer Trunkaby calling for assistance from all available squads. We have an emergency situation on Pack and Troop."  
Nick looked at his partner with raised eyebrows.  
"Would that count?" Nick asked.  
Judy picked up the radio and returned the call.  
"This is Officer Hopps. Wilde and I are in the vicinity. What's your situation?"  
"We've got a robbery at the Lyonsmane Bank. The thieves got out somehow. The building is burning and hostages are trapped inside. We've had the fire department called, but we can't leave until they get here."  
"Copy that. We'll patrol around and try to spot them," Judy suggested.  
"Shouldn't be too hard, one of our guys spotted them hopping into a-"  
"Silver van," Nick finished as he spotted the vehicle turning the corner.  
"We've got eyes on the target!" Judy exclaimed.  
"Good luck, you two," Trunkaby wished as he ended the call.  
Nick smirked at the comment.

 **5:49 PM  
** Nick finished up his report in record time, explaining in minute detail how he helped to stop both robberies that occurred on their watch.  
"If you don't mind, Carrots, I'm going to hit the showers early," he said as he left the cubicle.  
"Seeya later!" She called.  
Unknown to the bunny, however, Nick was planning on making due with his bet from that morning. Still dressed in his blues, the fox slipped into the female's locker room while the hall was deserted. He slipped from shadow to shadow, hiding behind open locker doors and under benches before positioning himself.  
He took out his phone, snapped the photo he needed, and waited for the coast to be clear. He then proceeded to his second target and slipped a little note in one of the officer's lockers.  
Once again, Nick hid under benches, within shadows and behind locker doors as he made his way out of the locker room. He was spotted, however, by Judy as she was headed for the locker room herself.  
"What were you doing in there?" She frowned.  
"I mixed up the locker rooms," Nick lied.  
"Uh-huh," the bunny replied, not quite convinced.  
"It's been a long day, Carrots. I got a bit dizzy while coming down the stairs and stumbled into this locker room. And by the time my head was cleared, I realized my mistake and slipped out," Nick explained. "And don't worry, I didn't see anyone, and nobody saw me."  
"I'll hold you to that," she threatened before heading into the female's locker room.

 **6:03 PM  
** "So! I heard that you and Judy have been busy today!" Fangmeyer commented as he patted Nick on the back.  
"Well, two chases will do that to you," Nick reasoned as he stripped his uniform. "How about you, Harry? Anything new?"  
"I think I'm in love!" The white wolf stated as he opened his locker.  
"With Chelsea?" The fox questioned.  
"Wow, on the nose today, Slick!" Fangmeyer smiled.  
"I seem to be having one of those days," Nick replied. "Although I didn't quite find what I was looking for in the Female's locker room."  
"So I guess this means I win the bet then?" The white wolf grinned as he closed his locker and headed for the showers.  
"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Nick smirked. "Check your phone."  
Fangmeyer complied and returned to his locker, digging out his phone. He found that Nick had sent him a message accompanied by a photo. The wolf opened it to find Chelsea Cocuta dressed in nothing but a towel and the message reading:  
 _Eat your heart out  
_ Fangmeyer's eyes nearly popped out of his head.

 **6:12 AM  
** Nick and Fangmeyer walked into the lobby to find Chelsea standing in front of the doors.  
"Hey Fangmeyer!" She called out as she made her way over. "I've got three words for you!"  
The white wolf looked quite nervous, the spotted hyena was nearly a foot taller than him and looked like she could easily lift and throw him across the room. Chelsea leaned in close to the wolf and gave a big grin.  
"You've. Got. Balls," she coolly stated. "To think that you would actually sneak into the female's locker room and leave me a note saying that you wanted to see me in the lobby."  
Fangmeyer looked over to Nick, who only cocked a brow.  
"Uh… Yeah, I did that," he lied. "I wanted to ask if you wanted to grab a bite to eat, maybe see a movie later?"  
The hyena gave a hearty laugh that echoed through the lobby.  
"For you? Anything."  
Fangmeyer face brightened up at the prospect.  
"Pick me up at seven," Chelsea said as she left.  
"I owe you BIG TIME," the wolf stated as he stared at the hyena through the doors.  
"It's okay, I'm good. Here," Nick said as he gave him a slip of paper with Chelsea's address. "And before you ask, I got it from Clawhauser."  
"You are the best," Fangmeyer smiled as he walked out of the lobby.  
"And what's going on here?" The fox heard Judy ask behind him.  
"Harry is going on a date with Chelsea tonight," he explained. "All thanks to yours truly."  
"You're lucky that I didn't tell on you."  
"I knew I could trust you."  
"And you seem to be pushing your luck quite hard today."  
"And I intend to keep pushing it," Nick smirked.  
"Oh really?"  
"Like… If I were to ask you out for dinner tonight, would you say yes?"  
Judy gave him a smirk and pulled him down to eye level by his tie.  
"What do you think?"

 **10:24 PM  
** Nick carefully stepped into his apartment, making sure not to wake the sleeping Judy that he was carrying. The excitement of the day had gradually worn off and she had drifted off to sleep in the theatre while watching the latest 'Fast and Furriest' movie with him. He didn't mind, she was pretty light, after all. As he settled her down on his bed, the bunny stirred awake.  
"Nick? Where are we? What happened?" She asked, still drowsy.  
"You dozed off while watching the movie so I carried you back to my place," Nick explained. "I'm giving you my bed for the night; I'll be sleeping on the couch."  
"No…" Judy simply said as she pulled him onto the bed. "It's big enough, we can share."  
"Okay. We'll share."

 **5:00 AM  
** _…So baby can't you see  
I've got to break free  
I've got to break free  
I want to break free, yeah  
I want, I want, I want, I want to break free…  
_"Yes, everyone, it's time to break free of those nightmares and face the day with a head start. Hello all you early risers! This is Phil Sowerby with today's forecast. We're looking at clear morning skies in the mid-sixties, with a few clouds rolling in this afternoon. This has been Phil Sowerby with your early morning forecast."  
Judy reached over Nick and turned off the radio alarm-clock, the fox having not stirred at all.  
"You know, Nick, you could have turned off the alarm considering how late we slept last night," she grumbled.  
"You're here," he muttered.  
"Of course I'm here. You brought me here, remember."  
"But you're still here," Nick repeated in disbelief.  
"I'm not the type of doe that leaves in the middle of the night, Nick," she grumbled. "Now can we go back to sleep?"  
"Don't you want to go to work today?" He asked.  
"We can call in sick."  
Nick smirked.  
"Yeah, I guess we could do that," he muttered as he ran his fingers through her fur.  
It was finally a new day.


End file.
